Play to Z Limited

Latest Training Courses

 Thursday 9th May 2013:

Bringing the Curriculum Alive with Sensory-rich Play

This lively and practical course shows how practitioners can use low or no-cost sensory-rich resources to support the three prime areas and four specific areas of the Statutory Framework for the EYFS. Drawing itself upon the three characteristics of effective learning the course offers a good mix of contemporary research findings, fun activities, illuminating play observations, and opportunities for practitioner reflection to help bring learning to life. This highly sensory session will show inspiring techniques for delivering the curriculum in a fun and inclusive way to achieve a balance between adult-initiated and child-led learning and play.

The courses will be charged at £135 per day per delegate, to include lunch, refreshments, training handouts and a training certificate. Please email info@playtoz.co.uk for more details. 

Download a booking form here.

An Introduction to Play to Z's Training Portfolio

Play to Z provides high quality training and workshops for early years practitioners, teachers, students, parents and carers. Early years researcher, consultant and trainer Sue Gascoyne, designs and provides training and workshops nationally and internationally to help practitioners maximise learning through sensory play. Sue is an experienced and accomplished trainer, recognised for her contribution to the Early Years sector through the coveted Nursery World Trainer of the Year Award in 2009. Since then Sue has run workshops and presented at numerous national and international Conferences including the 21st and 22nd ECEERA Conference, BECERA, The Education Show, and GCC conference in Saudi Arabia to list just a few. As well as regularly writing in the national press Sue is a published author:

• Sensory Play (2011) Practical Pre-School
• Cross-Cultural Perspectives on Early Childhood – Chapter 1 (January 2012) Sage
• Treasure Baskets and Beyond – Realizing the Potential of Sensory-rich Play (August 2012) Open University Press

Training Focus

The Statutory Framework for the EYFS recognises the characteristics of effective learning as Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, Creating and Thinking Creatively. Adults too benefit from a good mix of learning through play, hands-on exploration and opportunities for being creative.  As well as being highly participative and practically linked to the EYFS, all our courses and sessions feature the following ingredients, essential for maximising the positive benefits of training:

• Accessible theoretical foundation
• Fun and engaging activities
• Play observations – written, photographic and video
• Practitioner discussion and reflection

Our training is flexible with sessions tailor-made to suit the needs of particular settings, participants or themes. Although all our courses and sessions feature Sensory Play and /or Treasure Baskets their benefits are far more wide reaching. For some the hands-on medium of sensory play is a particularly empowering way of introducing other, less accessible issues like pedagogy, adult’s role in supporting play, getting the adult/child-led balance right, brain development, schemas and the EYFS. The benefits and learning gained are relevant and transferable to numerous aspects of child care and development and are designed to support good practice through changing hearts and minds.

Research—based Training

Research underpins all our training with all our courses and parent sessions drawing upon the extensive findings of contemporary and independent research. Play to Z has instigated the following research projects:

• Funded by EEDA, in 2009 Play to Z launched a national Sensory Play Research project in collaboration with Anglia Ruskin University. 77 observations were carried out in children’s centres, nurseries and homes throughout the country with 8 month to 5 year olds to explore children’s responses to sensory-rich Treasure Baskets and to map play during each stage of the sensory play continuum. Questionnaires provided a snapshot of parents’ and practitioners’ own sensory ‘experiences’.
• In 2011 Sue launched a cutting edge pilot research project with the University of Hertfordshire and Games for Life, mapping brain activity while early years children played with a Treasure Basket.
•  In 2011/12 weekly observations were carried out in an Activity Centre over a six month period. The observations culminated in the development of a typology of Treasure Basket behaviors.

Training Options

• In-house – Inset days, twilight or cluster sessions
• Master-classes – Attend one of the many courses available throughout the country.
• Bespoke Training Solutions - Contact us to find out more.
• Training and Resource Packages – What better way of galvanising action after practitioners leave inspired from the training than for them to be able to put their learning into practice with gorgeous, stimulating resources.
• Sensory Appraisal – If you’re not sure whether children’s sensory play needs are being taken seriously in your setting, why not commission us to carry out a Sensory Appraisal, provide staff training, run a session for parents, and work with you on developing and implementing an action plan?

 Our Training Courses and Sessions

Follow the links below for detailed information on individual courses offered

Parents

Practitioners

Organisations (Nurseries / Childrens Centres / etc)

Please Contact Us for a quote or to make a booking.